The Princess and the Knight
by FaddishMass
Summary: Yoruichi, the princess of a desert kingdom meets Nel a wandering arrancar and when their forbidden love gets discovered they are banished from the country and have to embark on a huge quest to prevent a sinister plot to destroy the world. Elements from Dragon Warrior in this story. Also lots of Yuri
1. Chapter 1: Wanderer

**This story is a romance like my other one but instead of a generic SoifonxYoruichi paring I'm gonna ship Adult Nel and Yoruichi together… I was gonna make this a Nel Kukaku ship but I don't think the community is ready for such an unsupported leap. Anyhoo, this story is set in a completely unique world. Reishi is a major player in the adventure of it. Yoruichi has a shikai and bankai that I've made up but I'll hold off revealing those in case kubo actually get off his ass and writes them into the goddamn manga!**

*****Start of Story*****

The desert was always tough, the acrid winds, the huge dunes and complete emptiness. A lone figure strolled through the dusty winds with a cloak covering most of her body. She barely knew her name, only that she was referred to as Nel… Nel who? What was she? Why was there a hollow mask broken atop her head?

Lost and alone, where was she headed, why was this direction the one she walked. On her hip, a sword swung and lightly bumped her thigh as she walked. It was a Zanpakuto, she felt it's Reiatsu but she didn't know its release or release command. If she even had one. Eventually she stopped at the crest of a particularly high dune.

Before her a large sandstone city stretched out and at its centre a white marble palace stood. It was truly magnificent. The purple light from the Kido lights gave it a mystic glow. Above the city the moon glowed a sharp blue. Nel stared at it for a while. "Blue moon" She said "this land…" She could taste it in the air "it's so mystic, but there is something else…evil"  
Almost like a large phantom skull shadow looming through the city. Something was here and it was more evil than anything Nel had ever felt. She made her way to the city gates. "Good evening Miss" said one of the guards.

"Can I get in?" she replied not wanting to show her mask

"You have to pay a small tax" the guard said fixing her with a withering stare.

"How much?"

"Two silver coins" he said. Nel rummaged in a coin purse she'd 'found' attached to a skeleton in the desert. She only had three bronze ones. The guard noticed this and crossed his arms. "Sorry" he said "no silver, no city"

"I apologise" Nel said turning to leave; perhaps there was another way in… A poster stuck to the large wall around the city caught her attention: Reward 100 Gold coins for winning a bout in the Gladiator ring! If you win you can take your money and leave or…Double or Nothing!

"What's that?" Nel said pointing at it

"The Gladiators?"

"Yes"

"The King and upper-class of this city are very…bloodthirsty, blood sport is their favourite pastime, Gladiators are one such thing"

"Can I enter?"

"If you want" he said "I'll call a promoter to size you up and then if you want, of course, you can enter"

"Please" Nel said smiling. She knew how to fight, she'd been attacked by bandits a few times and her instincts took over and within a few minutes there was a pile of dead bodies around her and a lot of scorch marks.

The Guard sent his buddy away and a few minutes later he returned with a strange one armed woman. "So" she said looking Nel up and down "this is her?"  
"Yes, Mistress"

"Enough of that, I'm not a Noble anymore, just a mere Gladiator Promoter" She fixed Nel with her dark eyes "can you show me what you're made of?"

"Here?" Nel said looking at her and placing her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"No, not like that dumbass" she snapped "release some of your reiatsu; let me taste your power"

"Okay" Nel said. She let the walls that held her power in dissolve and she became shrouded in purple aura.

"Not bad" she replied "but you're not _forcing _it out you're only letting it drift"

"Does it make a difference?" Nel said

"Force it out and see" she replied. Nel nodded and with a little growl escaping her lips she pushed as hard as she could on her power.

The woman's eyes widened as both guards collapsed and the very sky seemed to rumble under Nel's vast emancipation of power. "Calm it down" she said raising a hand "that's higher than the average high classed Shinigami."  
"What's that?"

"You don't know?" She said staring at her incredulously. "Shinigami are basically humans born with the ability to control their reiatsu, much like you except you're not a Shinigami"  
"What am I?"  
"An Arrancar"

"I don't know what that is" Nel said her eyes widening innocently.

"I see" the woman traced her finger down the deep scar on her face "amnesia"

"Kukaku" someone said. Nel almost jumped a foot when she realised the person was standing right behind her. She turned and stared at him. A peculiar man indeed, his hair was stark white and he regarded her with teal eyes. A scruffy white beard decorated his face.

"Hitsugaya" Kukaku said "how are you?"

"I sensed high Reiatsu release I thought it felt like an Es-"

"I've decided I'll promote you though this fight" Kukaku said grinning at her. Nel stared at the man, what was he about to say? And why didn't Kukaku want her to hear it?

"That's an attractive sword" he said looking down at it. Nel noted he had a Zanpakuto too; it was loosely attached to his back with a red sash. The wrapping on the handle was orange and yellow. Despite looking very cool Nel couldn't help breaking out in a sweat.

"Oh, hey" Kukaku said "stop barraging that poor woman with your Reiatsu, you'll fry her!"

"I wanted to see how much she could take" he said. He turned and disappeared in a flicker, his white haori flapping briefly as he did so.

"Hishiro Hitsugaya, the Phoenix" Kukaku said

"How was he so strong?" Nel asked letting out a deep breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Because he's Captain Class" Kukaku said "us lowly peasants don't stand a chance against him, his power with fire rivals that old geezer up in the Marble Palace"

"The King?"

"No the King is an idiot, he couldn't wield a sword to save his life…it's his daughter you've gotta worry about"

"I don't intend to break any laws so I don't really mind"

"You Arrancars are so strange" Kukaku said opening a small wooden door.

"How so?"  
"Well you probably were what, Adjuchas Class Menos before you were turned? And I've seen plenty of those, barbaric, bloodthirsty and ruthless. Yet…you've abandoned all beast-like sense and came out almost human"

"I don't remember my time as a hollow" Nel said

"Do you remember your name?"

"No…" Nel said "but on my sword" She showed Kukaku, a little engraving said 'Nel's Sword, Hands off!'

"Nel then?"

"Yeah"

"Alright" Kukaku said "but I have to warn you, your Reiatsu may be captain classed but your reflexes are slow and you don't know your release"

"How do I release?"

"How should I know?" Kukaku said smacking a sword on her arm. "I've only got a Shikai and an Arrancars release is more like a Bankai than Shikai!"

"Oh…" Nel stared at her feet as they walked through the dusty peasant filled streets.

"Anyway" Kukaku said "I've studied an Arrancars release, they usually have a command like a Shikai like 'Bite off'"

"Bite off?" Nel said

"Yeah" Kukaku chuckled "I have to warn you, you've came to the coliseum at a damn bad time"

"How so?" Nel asked feeling more than a little anxious about the answer.

"There is a fifteen time rollover champion right now, he's an Arrancar like you, however, and he's not half as reserved"

"I see" Nel said

"That's not all" Kukaku said "there are warriors coming from all over to get him, he's a fifteen time rollover champion that means you get 1500 gold coins if you beat him"

"So really strong people will be there?" Nel said

"Yep"  
"Too late to turn back, I suppose" Nel said "I don't like fighting but I'll do it if it's necessary"

"That's the way I like to hear it" Kukaku said. She pointed at a large circular building. "That's the Coliseum; you'll technically be a prisoner as…you're not really allowed to flee once you've started"

"I see" Nel said "you say you're a promoter, what do you do?"

"I…uh" Kukaku thought for a minute "I take bets and make deals, if you turn out to be very powerful I can choose to use you for…fights of course you give a little of your profits to me and I find you all the stuff you need, but since this is a one shot thing I'll let you away for a third of that 1500 gold coin toll"

"Agreed" Nel said, she was a little worried that 1500 gold coins may be a little difficult to carry so giving 500 of them away didn't bother her in the slightest.

After a single day Nel found herself sitting in a room with sixteen other people. All of them were battle hardened gladiators. The fight was going to be in fifteen minutes and the warriors weren't trying to make any friends. Nel looked from face to face. One of these warriors was worth 1500 coins! Which one was it? She looked at a huge wolf man. He stood staring out the window with his arms behind his back. Was that him? No… he didn't have a mask.

"So" said someone looking down at her as she took a bite out of the loaf Kukaku provided. "You must be that fifteen streak Arrancar" she looked up at him.

"No" She said bluntly

"Don't lie to me" he snapped "you're the only scummy hollow here"

"What about that guy?" Nel said indicating toward a young male with golden eyes and red face paint, his mask was like two fangs either side of his face.

"No way could it be a squirt like that" he snapped. "Do you know what they do to babes like you on the ring?"

"So…" Nel said staring at him "at first you accuse me of being the Arrancar who's won fifteen times and then you ask me what happens in the ring as if I don't know?"

"I…I uh…" his eyes glazed over as thought failed him "This isn't over" he turned and stomped off. Nel shook her head and took another bite of her loaf. How was this going to turn out?

***Change perspective***

Yoruichi sat on a comfortable futon and tried not to show how bored she was. The crowd roared as the fighters made their way onto the field. "Ah you see, Yoruichi" her father said "they all know only one will live, the murder is in their eyes"  
"Stop trying to understand people" she scowled "you might hurt yourself"

"Don't patronise me, you're still a woman"

"Sorry…King!" Yoruichi rolled her eyes. Being the Princess of a rich Desert Country was a damn sight harder than people made it out to be, nevertheless she got by, by leading the Stealth Force of her countries army. Beside her, her faithful servant/companion Soifon knelt. She was one of the few people who knew just how powerful Yoruichi was. Yoruichi's father still assumed she was a petulant child who wanted to 'play war' as he put it. She often neglected to tell him she had the highest body count in the entire army.

She turned her attention to the fighters again. Most were limbering up, some stood quietly, observing. A row in front of her Kukaku Shiba sat pointing at a green haired vixen of an Arrancar. Despite having fallen from Nobility the Shiba Clan still had permission to use the noble stands much to the Kuchiki Clan's infinite distaste.

Beside her father the Arrancar King of her Country's neighbour 'Heuco Mundo' perked up when he noticed the woman. Did he recognise her? Yoruichi watched him from the corner of her eye. "So Barragan" her father said "do you think your warrior will make it a sixteenth?"

"Maybe" Barragan said "he's a tough kid but still…" he watched the woman with something between distaste and admiration, as if he couldn't quite believe she was alive.

"Ladies and Gentlemen we are gathered here today to watch these mindless brutes hack each other to pieces and have a damn good laugh whist they do it!" The announcer wailed making everyone cheer louder. Yoruichi ignored the pretty Arrancar, she hated women entering this competition, especially pretty ones as they'd often be stripped, raped and paraded, impaled through stakes, like a trophy. This poor bitch didn't know what was in store for her.

"I saw her the other day" Yoruichi eavesdropped a captain say to another. "From this distance she's cute but up close…damn!" he said biting his knuckle.

"What about that wolf?" Captain of the 9th Squad Kensei said "that sword has a Bankai"

"I saw it" said Hishiro 10th Squad captain "nevertheless, Vega isn't gonna survive this one"

"We'll just have to see, won't we?"

"How about six gold coins to see"

"Deal"

"You're going down!" Hishiro said breaking his calm attitude with a fiery one he liked to keep hidden.

"The fighters are all ready and give a good cheer of support…" it went quiet "okay, okay, okay give a big cheer of brutal and senseless killing, slaughter and MURDER!" the crowd went berserk and Yoruichi tutted. Hishiro looked at her over his shoulder

"The ruthless princess doesn't like senseless slaughter?" he said smiling slightly  
"Know your place!" Soifon snapped

"Know your place too" He replied "your only 3rd seat"

"And Captain Class" Yoruichi said "now back off…both of you" she furrowed her brow to make them know she was serious. Hishiro chuckled and put his hands in his pockets. He was just pissed his son was a disgrace to the country. Yoruichi had no qualms with young Toshiro and argued that the punishment didn't fit the crime. Luckily Hishiro was a semi decent father and secretly aided his sons escape from the city before Soifon's death squad got its hands on them. Of course Yoruichi delayed them. She didn't need Soifon using her Bankai against the Hitsugaya's in the middle of the city. Bankai's were forbidden in every corner of the city besides this stadium, a large Kido barrier prevented the power spilling out.

"So!" The announcer wailed as if he was trying to stop himself having a heart attack. "Begin this fight…NOW! Who will be DECLARED victor!" The green haired Arrancar woman stopped and stared at the announcer as if he had two heads. Yoruichi leaned forward as the fight begun. What was gonna happen here?

***Change***

Nel felt herself start to shake. Declare? That word… it was her release command. When she heard it a flood of small memories filled her head. Sonido, Cero, Balla, Pesquisa, techniques used by her species to deadly effect. "Time to die!" the man from before roared descending on her with a sword. She looked up at him with bored eyes. Sonido was faster than he could possibly comprehend and with a slash of her sword as she moved. He stood frozen by confusion and fear. Blood sprayed from him and he fell to his knees only to be crushed completely by a massive disembodied hand holding a sword.

She backed off with a Sonido jump to put some distance between her and that Wolf's Shikai. "Bite Off" she heard someone shout. She turned and watched that Arrancar with the red face pant "Tigre Estoque!" he concluded making a pose with his Zanpakuto. Another memory flashed though her mind. Her pose…

The Arrancar became shrouded in red reiatsu but Nel hadn't time to analyse it further, that wolf man was onto her again. She raised her sword and let it collide with his massive Shikai. Groaning at the sheer volume of power behind it she decided to cut her losses and Sonido away. Landing she jumped back to avoid a blue lightning bolt "Hado Number 4: Byakurai" the wolf said

"More than a one trick pony" Nel said "I can do much the same" she raise her hand and it buzzed with what looked like little red lightning sparks. He caught the gist of her attack and raises his sword just in time to block the Balla she fired.

She fired another which he avoided with Shunpo. "Not just strong, quite fast too" Nel muttered. She ducked under the obvious swipe that was coming from the disembodied Shikai arm. She managed to steal a glance at the other Arranacar who just happened to be charging a Cero and pointing his hand at her. "Big mistake" she said as he fired it. The dark red beam of energy blasted toward her. Raising a hand regally the cero struck it and as she opened her mouth and inhaled the energy flowed into her lungs, there it was reflexively combined with her own cero.

The crowd went completely silent, the Arrancar stared, dumbfounded. The wolf even stopped his attack. "Argh" Nel yelled opening her mouth and releasing it back at him.

"Fuck!" he managed before being completely incinerated. Nel brushed some soot from the cero she blocked off her hand and turned back to the wolf man.  
"I've underestimated you" he said "Bankai!"

"Whoa!" Nel said taking a step back as the massive giant rose up behind him. She couldn't beat that in her state. It was time to see how long she could hold that form for. Raising her sword she held it horizontal with her other hand by the blade. "Declare!" She said. The sword glowed pink/purple and started to discharge smoke "Gamuza!"

***End of Chapter One!"


	2. Chapter 2: Closer

Yoruichi leaned forward as the pretty Arrancar became enveloped in purple/pink light. She was now very curious to see what she looked like in her Resurrección… her eyes widened as the sphere of light began to twist and warp. "It's failing" Hishiro said to Kensei. "She's gonna rupture!" he shouted "Kido corps! Get that barrier at least four times stronger NOW!"

Just as the Kido Corps set to work the energy ruptured and exploded outward in a massive ball of Reiatsu. The Kido Barrier stopped the energy enveloping the crowd who all screamed and panicked. Yoruichi almost got up to help the Kido Corps but stopped when the energy died down. "Damn" Kensei said "that was intense"

"I shouted so loud I nearly got an erection" Hishiro chuckled

"That's not funny, that is a serious blood pressure problem, you've gotta see fourth squad about it"

Yoruichi wasn't really listening to them. The smoke from the saucy Arrancar's failed release was starting to clear. Amazingly the wolf man was almost unharmed. He's used his Bankai to shield himself. Its bigger stature providing less damage than it would just him taking it himself. He grabbed her she lay limply on the ground.

"He's pissed" Hishiro chuckled "I wonder what he's gonna do"

The Wolf raised her above his head and brought her down onto his knee, her back snapped with a sickening crunch that made the crowd go wild. With a triumphant roar he threw her into the wall. Yoruichi felt a tad of sympathy rise for the poor well-endowed Arrancar… oh well. At least she wasn't stripped like the last one was. Women in this country had to work twice as hard as men for half the reward, it really wasn't fair. If she got onto the throne she'd definitely change it.

She stood up and briskly made her way out of the coliseum. "Hey!" Kukaku said running to catch up. The royal guards stepped between Yoruichi and Kukaku. Yoruichi dismissed them with a scowl.

"Your little Arrancar failed" Yoruichi said "too bad"  
"She isn't dead" Kukaku said showing her the little ball of Kido that beat slowly with the Arrancar's heartbeat.

"Lucky you" Yoruichi said crossing her arms and scowling at Soifon hitting a shopkeeper with a broom. "Stop that!" she snapped

"Sorry" Soifon said quickly and fell back into step beside her master.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Yoruichi said

"C'mon" Kukaku said shrugging "you can get her the best of Fourth Squad, call yourself the people's princess, man!" Yoruichi stopped and frowned at her friend.

"Don't try and guilt trip me…I want her"

"Want?"

"No…not like that!" Yoruichi said grateful that her dark skin hid her blush "I think she could be a good recruit"

"What about my money?"

"You and money!" Yoruichi exclaimed "here" she fished out three 'Glass' coins. The currency went bronze, five bronze equal 1 silver, 5 silver equal 1 gold, 5 gold equal 1 ruby coin and then 67 ruby coins equal 1 glass coin. "That's roughly 1005 gold coins"

"Whatever" Kukaku said as if she was doing Yoruichi a favour. She was… that Arrancar's release was immense! It would've vaporised the entire southern side of the city. Yoruichi turned and walked back into the coliseum her guard fumbling to catch up. She had insisted often that she didn't need cronies to push people out of her way and announce her arrival to everyone who happened to be gifted with hearing.

The streets bustled with a busy market, ragged and dishevelled travellers walked from stall to stall either haggling for a sale or trying to pilfer something without getting caught. Not for the first time Yoruichi found herself staring at a pretty young lady behind a stall. Her biggest secret, the women.

She quickly walked onto the arena where the staff were executing the injured gladiators. "Stop" Yoruichi said smacking a man's hand before he could drive his sword into the Arrancar. She lay beside a large crack in the wall. She seemed so peaceful besides her disposition. Back broken, arm and leg as well, concussion.

"Yoruichi-Hime!" he said kneeling before her. She paid him no attention

"I wish to take this one for my own!" Yoruichi announced regally. She got more than a few sideways glances. A few people did know about her love of the softer meat and rumour spread like a plague and she was forever more having to keep her visiting's of Kukaku's whorehouse secret. Kukaku herself was up for sale and she was worth the price though not many people paid it.

"Someone take her to Squad Four" Yoruichi said before placing her hand on the Arrancar's cheek and putting a small Royal Seal on her cheek to show that the order had come from royalty.

"If you don't mind me asking" Soifon said "why would you even consider recruiting an Arrancar as a Stealth Force member?"  
"I don't know" Yoruichi said "it feels like the right thing to do" she hoped Soifon would realise it was simply to add to her harem.

The Arrancar was picked up in a stretcher and hauled off without a single word of protest. Yoruichi sighed happily and indicated it was time to leave. Life in the city was lovely and safe, outside it was not. It wasn't just the Hollows; there were other things as well. Monsters, ranging from little slimes to massive Evil Lords with powers beyond comprehension. Yoruichi had met an Evil lord only once, it was called 'Zoma' it's destructive ability left her stunned, but she of course managed to hold it off long enough for her squad to retreat and make it away with all of her limbs still attached.

Outside was magical and dangerous…she took every chance she could to go outside the walls, there was so much to be learnt, the monsters had power different from Reiatsu and it should be studied and understood! She stole one final glance at the Arrancar before storming contently out of the Arena.

***Change***

A full week later Nel finally stirred from her coma. She groaned as the memories from her fight flashed through her mind, she remembered losing control of Gamuza and she remembered…someone, a woman, looking down at her and the words 'I want her' being said. She felt her cheeks redden a little, what did she mean? Nothing sinister hopefully…

"You're awake" someone said. Nel painfully sat up and looked around. A young man sat reading a book, the room was…underground and candle lit.

"Who are you?" she said

"My name is Absinthe"

"…Absinthe?" she repeated

"It's not my real name but I'm a Dead Man so that's what I go with"

"Dead Man?" Nel said

"Black ops" He said "I watch any potential threats and execute if necessary"

"I see" she said. He wasn't very spectacular looking; he wore desert robes and had a small scar above his right eye. Black hair and dull grey eyes. He returned to his book.

"So" came a voice that made her nearly jump out of the bed. Nel looked to see an attractive dark skinned woman emerge from the shadows "do you know who I am?"

"No" Nel said

"My name is Yoruichi" she said "what is your name?"

"Nel" she replied. The woman was quite stunning the more she stared at her, her gold eyes reflected passion, humour and mischief and also a little loneliness. Her hair was tied into a pony tail and her soft looking lips were curled into a smirk.

"So, Nel" Yoruichi said sitting on her bed by her feet. "Would you like to join me?"  
"Join you?"

"Yes" Yoruichi said "I work for the 'Gotei 13' they are basically the army and they are tasked with protecting the country and its inhabitants"

"Why would I want to do that?" Nel asked

"Because I asked…nicely" Yoruichi said smiling sweetly. Nel narrowed her eyes, this woman was a killer, cold blooded.

"I'm afraid I'm going to turn you down" She said

"Not even if I train you in how to handle that Gamuza and also give you an explanation to why there is a large three tattooed on your back?" Yoruichi said raising an inquisitive purple eyebrow.

"I…" Nel considered. It was a good option, she could always ditch when she got her info and the training would prove useful in exacting revenge for her friends, she remembered them…dying.

She bit back the sadness that ultimately made her lose control of Gamuza. "I'll do it" Nel said "I'll join your military"

"Excellent" Yoruichi said smiling "you'll serve directly under me a job that you'll be sharing with Soifon"  
"Who's that?" Nel said curious

"You'll see when you meet her" Yoruichi said with a sly smile on her face. "Get some rest; you've just recovered from a broken back after all"

"A broken back?" Nel said feeling her spine, it was sore to touch "what happened?"

"That wolf guy snapped you like some balsa"

"I'm glad I passed out then" Nel said. She liked this woman, she had a kind of happiness that reached out to pull her in, she was like a goddess in human skin.

"Declare is your release command…correct?" Yoruichi said

"Yes" Nel said

"Mine is Smite"

"Smite?"  
"Yep" Yoruichi grinned

"Do you have a Bankai?"

"Yes" Yoruichi said. She looked over at Absinthe "so does he…all Dead Men have Bankai"

"What about that man…" Nel said "I think is name was Hitsugaya"  
"Hishiro?"

"Yes" Nel said

"His Bankai…" Yoruichi nursed what looked like a small burn scar on her arm "it's not something you wanna get caught in"

"I see" Nel said "are Bankai more powerful than Espada release?"

"Some" Yoruichi said "since I'm a high powered Captain my Bankai will likely dwarf your release. The Espada as they are known have powerful releases but they can still be outdone"

"Espada"

"That's what that number is on your back" Yoruichi said scratching her foot nonchalantly "ranging from one through ten with one being strongest and ten being weakest"

"So I was…" Nel thought for a second "I was the third strongest Espada?"  
"That's how it seems" Yoruichi said "but you're a Hollow, you don't age so I have no idea how old you are and who replaced you, if you've been replaced at all"

"Alright" Nel said looking awkwardly at her then the door. "Should I perhaps sleep again?"

"Yes" Yoruichi said plainly "look into my eyes" Nel obeyed wondering what she was doing "Bakudo Number 59: Tanma Otoshi" she put her glowing palm in front of Nel's face and then everything went black and she fell back onto her pillow, mane of wavy turquoise hair spilling out.

Yoruichi smiled down at her, so cute but at the same time she was hot, a one night stand kinda girl or was she a girl to take home and show to mom? "Absinthe" she said. The man snored lightly "I need you to keep your eyes on Barragan, he was Espada Two so he may know Nel's past"

"On it" he said though he stayed where he was and continued to snore after he'd spoken. Yoruichi ignored this seemly insubordination and walked through the door and turned to close it. Absinthe was no longer there. He'd disappeared. Yoruichi shook her head, the Dead Men were above Captain Class, and she'd be screwed if more than one was on her tail. She doubted even Yamamoto could get all five of them if they took him on.

"Barragan has gone home!" Absinthe said standing exactly three inches from her.  
"Wah!" Yoruichi wailed jumping back, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest. "Personal space!"

"Sorry" he said taking about half a step back. "He's returned to Heuco Mundo"

"Damn" Yoruichi "We'll just have to keep Nel with us until another Arrancar comes by that we can question"

"Understood" he said and disappeared in a soundless Shunpo.

Two years passed without a single invasion or war. Nel and Yoruichi grew close, friends from the beginning they trained, ate and spent their free time together. Yoruichi liked Nel, more than any other girl she'd met before. She had the sweetest charm, like a child yet at the same time she was unbelievably seductive, she didn't even seem to realise it herself.

To Nel Yoruichi seemed like a funny carefree woman who didn't take much seriously, she liked her too. Yoruichi's golden eyes would often pierce into her stormy brown/grey eyes and Nel would be left blushing and stammering her words. Yoruichi had taken her around the city and showed her amazing things, she'd stare open mouthed at the spectacles before her but her mind would always drift back to the true spectacle, Yoruichi, slender, quite petite and perfect in every way. She had no qualms showing off her perfect body either, she'd usually do it in front of Nel and laugh at her childish innocence.

Nel stood outside Yoruichi's private living quarters. Despite being highly ranked in the 2nd Squad she was still forced to do stuff like guard duty and sweeping. Soifon stood, arms crossed at the other side of the door. "So" Soifon said eventually "how long are you gonna be here?"

"I might stay" Nel said staring blankly at a spider crawling on the opposite wall. "It's been so long since I was off the beaten track I don't think I care to return"

"How's the release training going?"

"I can hold Gamuza for an hour before it breaks away"

"That's not bad" Soifon said "Bankai's usually last an hour if they are wielded by strong Shinigami"

"There's something else" Nel said

"Hmm?" Soifon said looking sideways at her

"Have you ever heard of…" She paused, considering wither or not it was right to tell her, she was already a freak here "a release within a release?"

"I may have" Soifon said with narrowed eyes, she knew exactly what she meant and it didn't sit right with Nel. "There was an Espada with a second release, his whereabouts are unknown"

"I see" Nel said. Gamuza wasn't complete with just that antelope form, there was another segment but she couldn't remember how to use it! It was always on the corner of her mind like a little piece of paper blowing in the wind and every time she tried to pick it up the wind would blow it further from her grip. Yoruichi had laughed it off saying she was deluded, Nel wasn't so sure though.

"Say, Nel" Soifon said with a tad of hesitation

"Hmm?" Nel said looking at her curiously

"Some of the men in the barracks were…" she gained tinge of redness in her cheeks "where your, um, hollow hole is"

"Oh" Nel said. She pulled down her robe and showed Soifon her hollow hole that was just three millimetres above her cleavage. It was quite small for a hollow, only about an inch wide. Soifon's cheeks got even redder when she stared at Nel's cleavage.

"I see" Soifon eventually said "Some of the men were making rather crude jokes I thought it'd be best to give a definite answer"

"What jokes were they making?" Nel said not connecting the dots and realising it was a sexist joke.

"Doesn't matter" Soifon said raising a hand. After about a minute of awkward silence two men entered the hallway. "About time" Soifon muttered

"Released for guard" one of the men said

"Thanks" Nel said, She turned and opened the door to Yoruichi's room without knocking, even if she did and Yoruichi was naked or something she'd just let her in without getting dressed. Yoruichi merely lay on her bed reading a book and eating chocolates. "I'm away for the night" Nel said

"No" Yoruichi said pouting "stay for a while and lets hang out"

"A-alright" Nel said feeling the tinge of redness now enter her cheeks. She walked over and woodenly sat on Yoruichi's bed. Her black Shinigami robes feeling slightly awkward, she had to admit, the black robes were certainly better than those uncomfortable Espada outfit…wait what!? How had she remembered that? She stared confusedly at the ground.

Yoruichi's soft hand brushing her hair out of her face distracted her. Nel made brief eye contact with Yoruichi and then shifted her gaze to the floor. "What's wrong?" Yoruichi asked resting her head on Nel's thigh and looking up at her, or at least the bottom of her breasts.

"Nothing" Nel said "you tease me too much"

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" Yoruichi asked the ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Sometimes" Nel replied. Yoruichi chuckled and Nel looked at her with her usual wide-eyed innocence

"You know what they say" Yoruichi giggled "no smoke without fire" she sat up and leaned close to her. Yoruichi's breath tickled her nose and her upper lip. Was she about to… There was a loud thump on the door and then a roar, the unmistakable roar of a Hollow. Nel jumped up and grabbed Gamuza. Yoruichi already had her own Zanpakuto withdrawn. The door exploded into splinters. Nel gasped as the Hollow walked through the door.

"Yoruichi!" She said feeling dread fill her

"I know" Yoruichi said

"It's a Vasto Lorde!"

[End of Chapter two]

**I know I skipped two years randomly but I wanted some time to pass for Nel and Yoruichi to get closer and about Nel's second release I've got a little something up my sleeve, I know it seems a little crappy but that's what you can expect from me for I am FaddishMass: The M Knight Shyamalan of Fanfiction. **


	3. Chapter 3: One problem after another

The Vasto Lorde didn't seem to notice Yoruichi. It just stood, its black eyes fixated on Nel. Like most Vasto Lorde it stood about the size of a regular human. Its mask was covered in small holes *It'd look a little like a Hockey Mask* and three green lines stretched out from its left eye down to its chin. Two horns on its head stood straight up and were close together, each horn had seven red lines on them.

"It's after you, Nel" Yoruichi said stepping between the Hollow and Nel "Run!  
"No" Nel said defiantly "I'm supposed to be your protector" she pulled Gamuza from its sheath with a loud swish. The Vasto Lorde loosed a loud roar before going down on all fours and pointing its horns at them. Each ring began to glow as a red ball of energy signalled a charging cero.

"A Cero!" Yoruichi managed to say before it fired, she widened her eyes in shock as the red beam of energy closed the distance between them in milliseconds and then it was gone.

Yoruichi stared at the Hollow who stared back, the cero gone completely. "Did you absorb it?" She asked Nel. Nel shook her head timidly.

"It was me" Someone said to their left. Yoruichi turned to see one of the Dead Men leaning on her bedpost with a red wooden stick in his hand.

"Stamper" Yoruichi said looking at him. He chewed idly on a piece of what looked like rock *a sweet*.

"S'up bitch" he said looking at her over his glasses with raised eyebrows.

The Vasto Lorde jumped at him. Its movement was so fast Yoruichi barely had time to jump back from the shockwave generated from the Hollow's attack colliding with a lazily used cane. "Yo Vasto dude" Stamper said sighing slightly as he spoke "you're all talk and no walk"

"Just finish it!" Yoruichi said "before it can use any hidden talents"

"Alrighty" He said. He plunged the tip of the staff through its forehead…but it didn't pierce the hollow. "What the fuck!?" Stamper said leaning back as the hollow went semi-transparent and the Staff passed through its head without harming it. Stamper looked slightly jealous "oh that's cool" he said wistfully.

He jumped back and held his staff in front of himself and said "come!" Yoruichi jumped forward and aimed a kick for the Hollow which it blocked by raising its arm. Her leg collided with its forearm. Nel's fist collided with the Hollow's face and it was sent flying into the wall. It jumped out of the wall and ran on all fours along the ceiling. "Get it, get it, get it!" Stamper said jumping up and down "that thing is freaky!"

"Calm down you pansy!" Yoruichi snapped holding out her Zanpakuto. Condensing her Reiatsu she swung her sword and a dark purple crescent shaped blast of Reiatsu exploded toward the Hollow which jumped from the ceiling and slashed through the blast and landed on the ground cracking the marble floor. It went onto all fours again and charged another of those quick Ceros.

Nel jumped forward this time and opened her mouth. "No!" Stamper shouted "I saw its history, its ceros are poison!" Nel's eyes widened as the blast of energy exploded toward her. Suddenly Stamper was in front of her holding his staff like a snooker cue. "Kuhaku" His staff let out a faint blue pulse from its tip and the Cero disappeared again.

The Vasto Lorde appeared beside them and brought its hand down toward Nel in attempt to impale her. She grabbed its arm before it could do so. With her other hand she slashed it across the chest with Gamuza. Stamper turned and pointed the other end of the cane at the Hollow. The tip pulsed red and the Hollow was drove at least a foot into the pure marble floor. Nel staggered back. "What force!" she said

"Osu!" He said as the Hollow disappeared into the floor. The Vasto Lorde got slowly to its feet. It stared blankly at them before roaring once more. There was a brief flicker beside it and the Vasto Lorde growled and slashed with its hand.

Soifon appeared beside them as one of her bee crests appeared on the Hollow's arm. It inspected it curiously. "Bakudo Number 99: Kin!" Stamper shouted. The Hollow was instantly subdued and Soifon stung it again with Suzumebachi. With a loud roar of defeat it disappeared in one of Soifon's bee shaped crests.

"I thought you could control Hollows" Soifon said to Nel. Nel stared at the patch of ground the Vasto Lorde had died on.

"I can only control Gillians" Nel said "Adjuchas need to be convinced but they're not hard and Vasto Lorde…it's unlikely you'll be able to win one over"

***Perspective switch between Yoruichi and Nel***

With a few flickers twelve captains appeared in the room, swords drawn. "Took your time" Yoruichi chuckled with a glance at the space Stamper once stood. Since the Dead Men were part of the Stealth Force they rarely showed their faces to anyone other than Yoruichi or her immediate subordinates.

"We caught the presence of a powerful Hollow Reiatsu in your domain" The Head captain Yamamoto said, he looked so old and frail but that's before you looked in his eyes, there you'd see just how limitless his capacity to wield the deadly element of fire really was.

"Soifon wasted it" Yoruichi scowling at Hishiro who was helping himself to Yoruichi's chocolates. Nel noted that that wolf man was also a captain, she found herself slightly scowling at him and he seemed to be trying his hardest not to notice.

"These are good" Hishiro said with a mouth full

"They cost a third of your monthly salary" Yoruichi said irritably

"I'm enjoying them" Hishiro said. Yoruichi crossed her arms and looked from captain to captain.

"Can I help you with something, problem solved, go away"

"Someone needs some loving" Captain Kyoraku said before disappearing, the rest of the Captains followed suit except Kenpachi who couldn't use Shunpo.

"Someone really needs to teach you Shunpo" Yoruichi said smirking slightly

"What use would I have for Shunpo?" He said grinning

"Besides being late and lost all the time?"

"A necessary sacrifice" Kenpachi said with a shrug as he walked out the ruined door. Yoruichi sighed contently.

"The guards were useless!" Soifon said angrily "if they are alive they should be executed!"

"They were unseated" Yoruichi said "do you think two unseated officers could take a Vasto Lorde that could phase through solid matter?"

"Well no" Soifon said. She put on a rather thoughtful face which shocked Nel….she didn't know Soifon was capable of singular thought "why did a Vasto Lorde attack a city Palace, they just don't do stuff like that, Vasto Lorde are usually loners and hide in the mountains and forests"

"I don't know" Yoruichi said "it seemed to be after you" she looked at Nel

"I got that feeling too" She said. She thought about its ceros "how did that man know its ceros were poison"

"Bakudo" Yoruichi said "its number eighty-nine called Iware"

"it lets you see indefinitely into something's past, it's difficult to see further than a few minutes if you don't use the incantation" Soifon explained further "but Stamper is a Kido expert"

"Still" Yoruichi said "it took four Captain Class people to take down one Vasto Lorde"  
"I think we should increase the training regime" Soifon said brashly

"Maybe you're right" Yoruichi said "Nel! You shall teach seats 4 through 10 how to deal with Hollows of higher power than Adjuchas"

"Shall I fight them myself?"

"Yes" Yoruichi said "try to think about what you say, I know how you explain things"

"Yoruichi-Sama!" Soifon said "perhaps you should sleep somewhere else tonight"  
"I was going to" Yoruichi said "the palace has plenty of free rooms, I don't see why you two don't stay"  
"I wouldn't dream of it!" Soifon said shaking her head so much Nel had to dodge one of those rings. "The Palace is for royalty!"  
"People judge me enough" Nel said as her excuse "I wouldn't want to tarnish the name of the Shihouin's by making everyone think they are Hollow sympathisers"

"So wooden" Yoruichi said "both of you, this country is in need of some modernisation"

"I'll station some more guards" Soifon said

"Not necessary" Yoruichi said "I've always got a member of the Dead Men close by"

"But-"

"I'll be fine!" Yoruichi grinned.

They eventually said their goodnights and Nel walked off toward the barracks, girls and boys had their own rooms respectively. Nel never shared her…dormitory with any other girl even though it could fit three more Shinigami in it, all the girls avoided her room since she was an Arrancar and they assumed she'd eat their souls when they were asleep. She didn't really need to eat souls…she could if she wanted to but she could survive on normal food to…food tasted better…usually.

Jumping into her bed after she'd locked her door and pulled off her kimono she thought about Yoruichi leaning dangerously close to her, was she about to kiss her or do something else? No… Yoruichi was a princess, upper class, out of her league; she'd never be interested in a lowly Arrancar who was deformed by scars and birthmarks.

She drifted off to sleep after her adrenaline rush wore off and spent the entire night dreaming of happiness and adventure. Misty glades, treacherous mountain paths, arid deserts, frosty tundra's, hazardous caves, abandoned cities where nature had taken over, how could anyone want to live in a city when there was so much out there? So much to be discovered and explored! She owed Yoruichi too much to abandon her and go back on the adventure path. Her quest to find the truth didn't appeal to her that much, there looked like there was lots of pain at her destination but like many people say: it's not about the destination it's about the journey.

***Change***

Yoruichi sat in the front row of the coliseum and watched Nel and the 4th seat spar. Nel was a flawless fighter by instinct, when she thought too much she often messed up, but when she was pressured, that was when she came into her own, using a combination of Hakuda and sword fighting she could probably fight on par with Soifon. Without releasing. Though, she didn't use the same style as Yoruichi and Soifon, she was more power orientated than speed, it was a good balance for Soifon.

Nel was pressuring the 4th seat too much however; he was panting, sweating and slightly swaying. He was already in Shikai and his Shikai's ability, to appear as a 28 inch katana though this was wrong, it was a slight illusion, and his blade was actually 34 inches long. It was a clever trick if he used it correctly. Nel had quickly figured it out though and was using it to her advantage quite well.

"That's enough for today" Yoruichi said shaking her head. Nel sheathed her sword without looking back at the 4th seat, apparently the 4th seat gave her some hefty abuse on a regular basis according to one of the Dead Men who she'd had follow Nel through her first month of Gotei 13 membership. Nel, of course, was too kind to tell on him but it was obvious by the way she smacked him around he was getting to her. With a mental not to tell him not to pick on Nel Yoruichi stood up.

"Akihiko" Yoruichi said "try to work on your ability to deflect Ceros…that was embarrassing" she added quietly to herself.

"Perhaps I should demonstrate?" Soifon said

"Fight Nel?" Yoruichi said. She noticed all the men turn to see what her reaction would be, they were eager to see this fight, they'd obviously made the bet countless times who'd win. She did need a decent demonstration to show them so she sighed "Very well, Akihiko! Come back up and Nel you stay you'll be fighting Soifon next"

Her innocent eyes widened slightly and Yoruichi felt a tad guilty, she hoped Nel didn't assume she wanted her to get her ass kicked or maybe she was a little frightened of Soifon. Soifon wasted no time jumping from the stands and ripping her kimono off to reveal her Stealth Force uniform underneath. Nel wore a white kimono with green flowers on it over her Shinigami robes, it was given to her by Kyoraku, Yoruichi didn't know why Nel liked it so much, it looked quite nice but not on a warrior, it made her look like a socialite.

Soifon didn't withdraw Suzumebachi she merely stood with her arms crossed waiting for Yoruichi's command. "Begin, no lethal force" she said. She only really added it to prevent Soifon using her Shikai which would probably make Nel think she was being too serious.

Soifon was the first to move, with a Shunpo she appeared right beside Nel in mid kick. Ducking under it Nel put her weight on her hands and kicked upward. Soifon blocked this by crossing her arms over the point Nel aimed for. She was still thrown quite high by the attack. "Bakudo Number 30: Shitosu Sansen" she said after drawing a yellow triangle with Kido. Three smaller triangles burst from the each of the three triangles points and flew toward Nel. Only to be destroyed in succession by thee well aimed Bala's. "Hado Number 33: Sokatsui!" Soifon said as she used her reiatsu to stand in mid-air. From her palm a blue blast of fiery energy exploded toward Nel.

Nel stuck out her hand and fired a quickly charged red cero. Yoruichi noticed Nel had three types of cero, a quicker red one, a violet one that was five times stronger and finally her Gran Rey which she refused to use. The two attack being of roughly equal power collided and exploded in a nice purple explosion like blue paint and red paint combined.

Soifon was suddenly beside Nel unleashing a torrent of punches and kicks that were mostly neatly dodged or blocked by Nel but she was inferior to Soifon's fighting capacity and was taking hits. Soifon grabbed Nel's arm and brought her elbow toward Nel's face. Nel opened her mouth wide and fired a Cero so quick Yoruichi hadn't even seen her charge it. The violet coloured cero blew across the arena and crashed into the wall.

Soifon appeared a few metres above the ground and seemed relatively unharmed. "Getting pretty heated" said Ukitake she'd noticed him arrive but never turned to greet him.

"It is" Yoruichi said "I may have to step in, Soifon looks slightly agitated"

"She did take a hit from that Cero" He replied.

Soifon withdrew her sword and Shunpoed beside Nel again but Nel seemed to have Soifon all figured out as she was already turning when Soifon used Shunpo. She blocked Soifon's strike with her own sword and flicked it back. Soifon pointed her finger at Nel and a little flash of blue light sent Nel literally flying backwards "Hado number 1: Sho" Soifon said

"Such power without incantation" Ukitake said

"I taught her how to use it so effectively" Yoruichi said smiling slightly "I always thought Sho was such an underrated Kido so I developed it more and more, like Byakuya Kuchiki's Sokatsui"

Nel jumped back up and narrowly dodged small knives that Soifon launched her way with a flick of her leg. Nel fired another Bala as she dodged which Soifon sliced through with her sword. Soifon drifted to the ground and smiled slightly. "You seem strong enough to test this new technique that I've been developing" Soifon said. Yoruichi raised an eyebrow, who knew Soifon was capable of singular thought!

"I hope it's nothing too dangerous" Ukitake muttered

"You and Nel are like peas in a pod, you know that?" Yoruichi said glancing back at him. He fixed her with an amused smile. Soifon held out her arm in a horrifically familiar pose. "No way!" Yoruichi said leaning forward.

"That looks a little like Shunko" Ukitake said as white Kido energy started to pulse out from her back and shoulders. Yoruichi wasted no time in Shunpoing onto the arena and grabbing Soifon's arm.

"What do you think you are doing!?" Yoruichi said fixing her with an intense stare

"It-it's just something I made up" Soifon said self-consciously. She let the Kido die down and Yoruichi let go of her arm. "Why did you stop it, have you seen it before?"  
"I…uh" Yoruichi didn't want to steal Soifon's thunder "there exists a technique that looked somewhat like what you were doing, it's very dangerous, and one unguarded blow could kill a captain classed enemy easily"

"So I… invented a technique that already existed?" Soifon looked slightly depressed

"Don't beat yourself up" Yoruichi grinned "It amazes me that you did come up with the idea; after all, I am the only other person that can do it…I think"

"You think?" Soifon said

"Some other people know about it but I doubt they can actually do it…" Yoruichi smiled at Nel as she walked over Gamuza back in its sheath. "You certainly are a toughie"

"Thank you" Nel said grinning broadly. She turned to Soifon still grinning "we are still friends right?"

"I uh" Soifon made a startled guttural groan as Nel embraced her in a bone crushing hug, Yoruichi could even hear her joints straining. Nel's ultimate attack, Yoruichi thought humorously, her hugs…

***Change***

A few days later Nel sat on her bed reading a book. It was a romance about a princess who falls in love with a lowly warrior with a sad backstory. Nel found herself unnecessarily relating to the warrior. She didn't know why, Yoruichi was her friend that was all! "Even I don't believe myself" she said out loud after sighing.

"What don't you believe?" came Yoruichi's silky voice behind her. With a short wail Nel jumped up.

"Stop sneaking up on me!" she said trying to get her racing heart back into its normal rhythm.

"I only sneak up on you because you don't pay attention" Yoruichi said smiling and lying on her bed. She stretched out and Nel tried not to stare at her perfect body which she'd imagined stretched out on her bed more than once but for a completely different reason…maybe.

"What are you reading?" Yoruichi said picking up the book. "Hmm Princess and the Knight. Not very interesting, the writer is not experienced enough and seems to go off on tangents too much"

"Maybe so but I find myself reading it anyway, he's quite creative, especially with the plot"  
"Wait until he gets to the end, he obviously got tired of the story and decided to finish it without fully developing the massive array of characters in the story"

"Is there something you needed?" Nel asked "a princess shouldn't really be in the quarters of a soldier especially if that soldier is an Arrancar"  
"Don't be so uptight" Yoruichi said patting the bed beside her. "Come and lie, I'll tell you a story about something that happened about twenty years ago"

"So it's true" Nel said "Shinigami age slower than normal humans?"

"Yeah" Yoruichi said. Nel decided, against her better judgement, to go and lie with Yoruichi. As she lay Yoruichi snuck an arm behind her head which could be used to pull her into a hug at any time but she left it loose beneath her.

"This is cosy" Yoruichi said smiling. Nel shrugged and tried not to make eye contact. "I love looking into your eyes"

"Were you going to be telling a story" Nel said trying to get the tone of this evening back into the PG13 category. Yoruichi chuckled softly and rolled over so she was facing Nel.

"Back when I wasn't confined in the city I was almost completely free roaming, allowed to come and go as I wanted" Yoruichi said. Nel noticed a tinge of sadness in her voice. "One day I got word of a specific monster called…I don't know it's species but its name was Shenron"

"Divinegon" Nel said "I've heard of him"

"Yes well they are able to grant wishes, despite having mostly everything I could ever want with me or in reach there was still something I wanted" Yoruichi said. Nel glanced at her, that loneliness again, what could the woman with everything want? "Anyway we tracked this dragon down and I faced it… the fight attracted something"  
"What"

"An Evil Lord" Yoruichi said "It sent the dragon flying away with a single strike and laid waste to and entire mountainside with a blast of that godly lightning. I fought it" Yoruichi sighed. Nell rolled over to face her, the story completely engrossing her. Her cheek rested on Yoruichi's arm, her skin was so smooth and smelt faintly of cinnamon.

"The dragon came back and damn it was pissed" Yoruichi said "both of us fought it but it was futile, we were losing and it was winning, it hadn't even shown its true form"

"What did you do?"  
"Ran" Yoruichi said "what would you do?"

"Same" Nel said

"Anyway I got away and so did my men" Yoruichi said "I still, to this day don't know Shenron's fate, I do really wish I could track it down and apologise for attacking it"

"Why don't you run away?"  
"The people of my country need my skills to protect them" Yoruichi said "what if that Vasto Lorde came here and me and you weren't there to stop it?"

"I don't know" Nel said

"See" Yoruichi grinned. Her gold eyes locked with Nel's and she raised her arm forcing Nel to lean closer.

Nel found her heart rate picking up again as Yoruichi flat out kissed her. Nel almost pulled back but she gave up denying her own feelings, she wanted it probably more than Yoruichi did. As soon as Nel had begun to kiss her back Yoruichi's hands started to explore her. From running through her thick turquoise hair, to caressing the small of her back to giving her behind a soft squeeze. Nel allowed a moan to escape her as Yoruichi soft lips caressed hers.

There was a light cough behind them. With a startled gasp Yoruichi pulled away and sat up. Nel looked to see Byakuya Kuchiki standing looking at them with a combination of shock and disgust. "Princess Shihouin" Byakuya said "you've broken one of the most ultimate of laws in this country" he pulled his sword from its sheath and dropped it into the ground.

"No!" Yoruichi said jumping forward

"Bankai"

[End of Chapter Three]

'**Hmm a wish granting dragon called Shenron…where have I heard that before?' I hear everyone saying. As you may have noticed I've integrated the monsters from DWM and the fact I've called the Divinegon Shenron is a pun on the fact DBZ writer Akira Toriyama also drew all the artwork for Dragon Warrior Monsters so don't hate too much. **


	4. Chapter 4: Fled

"Damn it" Yoruichi said. Nel felt unbelievably guilty, she'd just ruined Yoruichi's entire life and now they were being attacked. "We'll have to kill him before he tells anyone and put it up to self-defence"

"I have to apologise" Byakuya said, he showed them the back of his arm. Black lines zigzagged up them.

"Tenteikura!" Yoruichi said

"Every member of the Gotei has just seen what I've seen" Byakuya raised his hands "now Scatter, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi"

The swords that had risen up behind him exploded into billions of little pink blades. Yoruichi scowled "Hado number 1: Sho" She said pointing over her shoulder. With a faint pop the entire wall of the building was blown away. "Time to go!"

"Not so fast" Byakuya said waving a hand toward them, the pink shrapnel exploded toward them shredding Nel's entire room as they went.

"Sho!" Yoruichi said again. The kinetic pulse blew the blades back for a vital few seconds allowing them to escape. Yoruichi easily outran Byakuya's Bankai with her Shunpo but Nel was struggling, Sonido wasn't fast enough. "C'mon" Yoruichi said grabbing her and hauling her onto her shoulder. With a single Shunpo she was at the other side of the city.

"Whoa!" Nel said "you travelled three miles in a single jump" looking back at Yoruichi she saw that it had taken its toll on her; she panted heavily and looked slightly peaky.

"I think that's the furthest I've ever jumped" she grinned. Her grin was short lived, she stopped and stared, horrified, at something on the roof across the street. Nel looked to see all five of the Dead Men standing rather sinisterly on the roof.

"All five" Yoruichi muttered "Can you give me one free pass? Stamper? Absinthe? Myth? Bones? Not even you…Tremor?"  
"What'd you have us do, hmm?" said a woman wearing a mask, Nel presumed it was Tremor since she'd met Bones and Myth before "defy the law we've sworn to uphold by promise of painful death?"  
"I merely ask for ten minutes" Yoruichi said "after all I've helped you guys do"  
Nel looked from one face to the other, she could tell some were considering it but Tremor, she was unreadable. "Go" she eventually said "next time we see you you're our enemy"

"Thank you!" Yoruichi said Shunpoing away, Nel followed with Sonido. Jumping from one roof to another for once she was keeping up with Yoruichi but she knew this was only the case because she'd used that long Shunpo.

"Where are we going?" Nel asked looking around; they were headed toward the city walls

"There is someone who can help us" Yoruichi said "she lives near the wall"

"Who?"  
"Kukaku of course!" Yoruichi grinned at Nel over her shoulder as they jumped.

***Change***

Tremor and the other Dead Men, for the first time ever, had to show themselves before all thirteen captains, Yoruichi had been replaced almost instantly by Soifon, Soifon herself didn't look particularly pleased by this turn of events, neither was Tremor but hey-ho life wasn't just sunshine and buttercups.

"I've called this meeting tonight to discuss the breaking of one of the most sacred cardinal sins" Yamamoto said. The twelve other captains stood in two rows of six whilst the Dead Men all stood at the bottom. "Captain Soifon had already passed the Captain's exam, so now she is the 2nd Squad captain"

"Like trading a gold ring for a rock" Hishiro muttered. Tremor was rather happy she was wearing a mask since no one saw her grin. Soifon scowled hatefully.

"I will put Soifon on the girls' trail, catch them, kill them if necessary, you can select three captains if you desire, if they leave the boundaries of the city…let them go"

"Let them go?" Soifon said raising her eyebrows as some of the other captains muttered amongst themselves.

"Yes" Yamamoto said "if they chose exile over death then so be it, we'll erect a Kido barrier and never let them enter the city again"

"I see" Soifon said "I shall begin right away"

Soifon had selected, surprisingly, Hishiro, Byakuya and Bones to chase after Yoruichi and disappeared leaving Tremor to head home herself, how stupid was this!? Yoruichi decides she wants to eat a few pussies and every mook in a fifty mile radius loses their minds, this was Hitsugaya all over again!

Eventually reaching her comfortable house she pulled her mask off and rubbed the sweat off of her face, she'd need a new mask this one was too warm. She pulled off her Kido powered false arm and the wraps keeping her considerable bosoms from getting in her way.

Once she was convinced she looked like Kukaku Shiba again she entered her house and dumped her gear in an inconspicuous basket sitting by the door. "What a day" she muttered

"It's nothing like what I've had" Yoruichi said as she walked into her kitchen.

"Fuck sake!" Kukaku said feigning fright "I nearly shit myself"

"I" Yoruichi stared sullenly at the ground "I've fucked up, Shiba"  
"I know" Kukaku said "I said if I'd see you again you'd be my enemy" she put on Tremor's accent for the enemy bit. Yoruichi's eyes widened. "Now, Erupt" She pulled her sword out of its sheath "Chigetsu!" *means Blood Moon*

***Change***

Yoruichi dived out of the way as the entire kitchen exploded with a single thrust of that Zanpakuto. She'd never seen Kukaku's Shikai but she knew Tremor's, the ability to generate explosions wherever she thrust her sword. "Kukaku, what the hell!?" Yoruichi shouted as she dodged another invisible exploding beam.

"Stand still" Kukaku shouted

"You're starting to piss me off" Yoruichi said using Shunpo to jump beside her. She drove her fist toward her face which she dodged easily "You damn hypocrite, Smite" She said making a pose with her Zanpakuto

"No you don't" Kukaku said kicking her Zanpakuto and thrusting her own sword toward Yoruichi.

"Crap" Yoruichi managed before the explosion ignited right in front of her. Nel stood with her sword between Yoruichi and Kukaku.

"Perhaps we should flee" Nel said

"Yes" Yoruichi said "Bakudo number 9: Horin" a buzzing rope of orange energy ensnared Kukaku

"Really?" She said raising an eyebrow

"Bakudo Number 61: Rikujokoro" six wide beams of light slammed into Kukaku holding her in place. Yoruichi slammed her hands together "Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end." Yoruichi said "Bakudo Number 75: Gochutekkan"

The ceiling exploded as five massive iron pillars descended and pinned Kukaku to the floor. "You bitch" Kukaku grinned "you win this round"

"C'mon" Yoruichi said Shunpoing out of the hole caused by the Bakudo, Nel close behind she jumped toward the wall. "It looks like we're gonna have to flee the city"

"Okay" Nel said "I'm…sorry"

"Don't beat yourself up" Yoruichi said not looking back "it was me who made the move"

"But, if I'd never came here you'd still be in power" Nel said

"Stop whining" Yoruichi said making one final jump onto the top of the city wall. Nel stood beside her as they stared out over the city they were just about to flee. The moonlight shone down upon them.

This was eventually going to happen. Nel was too damn cute and Yoruichi couldn't stop thinking about her. Spending a whole two years in her company was frustrating, her enamourment got worse by the day, she had to make a move or she'd explode, unluckily Nel had squealed a little too loud when Yoruichi gave her a fright and Byakuya had probably heard it and came to investigate.

"Where will we go?" Yoruichi said

"Why are you asking me?" Nel said "this countries inner working isn't on my list of proclivities"

"You're too well spoken" Yoruichi said "Come, I may know one place we can go"  
"Where?"  
"The boy wonder himself" she said "he doesn't live too far, maybe fifty miles that way" she pointed "we'll make it by day break"

"Leaving?" came Soifon's voice behind them

"Yes" Yoruichi looked back at her "are you going to stop us?"

"I'll do it myself" Hishiro said "Eradicate…" he pulled his Zanpakuto slowly from its sheath "Moeruhoshi" *means Burning Star*

From the tip of his sword a huge burning bird exploded toward them. "Shit!" Yoruichi said turning. "Let's go"

"Right behind you" Nel said. She jumped from the wall before the phoenix could strike them. The wall was high, very high she reached terminal velocity before she reached the ground, condensing Reishi to soften her landing she landed neatly on the sand. Nel dropping ungracefully behind her.

"Come on" Yoruichi said "I don't know if they'll give chase so we'd better hurry." She didn't wait for Nel's reply, turning she started toward Hitsugaya's 'Palace' at a solid speed. Nel quickly appeared at her side.

"I've had better days, I have to admit" Nel said

"I agree" Yoruichi said, the wind whistling through her hair was quite a nice feeling hopefully Toshiro was still alive, he knew where people like Urahara and Isshin Shiba were. What was she to do now? Her father would never accept her back in the country and even if they did they'd likely call for Nel's execution.

The crisp night air of the desert seemed to echo with faint mocking laughter, even the desert thought they'd ended up in a humiliating position. Caught, red-handed with a woman. An Arrancar woman at that!

"So who is this Hitsugaya?" Nel said

"He's Hishiro's son as I've said before" Yoruichi said "he was caught in bed with a Nurse"

"A nurse?"

"A cute black haired thing, I thought they made a good couple but the Hitsugaya's were nobles, they have their wives set out for them"

"Who was his wife supposed to be?" Nel asked. Yoruichi grinned

"Me"

***Change***

Stretching slightly as he woke Toshiro sighed. Living inside a tree in the middle of the desert was quite disconcerting but he and the tree had an agreement, he gave it water and it gave him a home. The tree was nearly three hundred metres tall and almost forty metres wide. Comfortable was a decent word to use, especially if it meant he could wake up undisturbed beside his lover every day. Bending forward he placed a kiss on soft lips.

"Are you going to wake up?" Toshiro said smiling slightly

"In a minute"

"Lazy" he chuckled but stood up and padded over to a window and looked out. The sun had only just risen and the water in the oasis sparkled majestically. The massive out-of-place looking Oak that they lived in towered above all other palms and shrubbery that lived off the small lake that he'd used his Zanpakuto Hyorinmaru to make. He'd maybe have to top it up later.

He turned his head slightly as two arms wrapped themselves slowly around his waist. "So you're up" Toshiro said turning and placing another kiss onto his conquest.

"I am" he could feel a soft hand start to grip him.

"Someone's in a kinky mood" he raised an eyebrow which was returned with a red cheeked smile. Dropping to their knees Toshiro groaned slightly as a light kiss on the tip of his penis signalled the arrival of yet another brilliant oral sex session. Unfortunately this was cut short by one of his motion detecting Kido sphere's detecting…well movement!

"Looks like we've got some company" Toshiro said tucking himself back into his bed wear. Slipping on a kimono Toshiro placed Hyorinmaru within reach in case the new arrivals were malevolent.

With a flicker Yoruichi stood before him in all her feminine glory. He almost allowed his frozen heart to skip a beat. "Yoruichi!" he said taking a step back

"Been a while" she grinned "Lil Shiro"

"Don't call me that!" he snapped. "Who's she?" he said looking past her at a very well-endowed Arrancar.

"Nel" Yoruichi said "for all intents and purposes I suppose you could call her the woman who just ruined my life"

"I predict since she's not dead that was a slight hyperbole"

"Nope" Yoruichi grinned "I literally have lost every possession and friend I've ever had because of her"

"Colour me confused"  
"It's certainly a better colour than stark white" she muttered

"So your name is Nel?" Toshiro said holding out his hand for the Arrancar to shake

"Unlucky" Yoruichi said grimacing. Toshiro had no time to ask why she'd just said that as the Arrancar woman grabbed him into a bone crushing hug that left him gasping for air.

"Get…ahhh" Toshiro groaned "I… can't breathe!"

"Uh…Miss Nel" Hanataro said "I think you're killing him!"

"I don't think!" Toshiro gasped "I know!"

"Oh" Nel said gasped dropping him heavily on the ground "He was just so cute! I couldn't resist"

"Is she always like that?" Toshiro asked

"Never done it with me…it's quite saddening"  
"I see" Toshiro said "I presume since you've came to me and the fact you've lost everything means you've been caught in bed with this woman"  
"Yes" Yoruichi said she glanced briefly at Hanataro "your situation declares that you may be able to help"

"Since you helped me escape the city with Hanataro I'll help in any way I can" he said almost immediately regretting it, bloody Yoruichi would have to come to him for help, what did she want him to do? Wave a magic wand? He might be a fairy but he didn't know any magic!

"I don't know what to do" Yoruichi eventually said "I can't go back but I don't know where to go"

"Perhaps you should track down Shenron and wish him to make it better or legalise being gay?" Toshiro said almost smacking himself as he said it, why hadn't he thought of that back when he missed city life!  
"I thought you only loved Hanataro that you were still interested in women" Yoruichi said

"I was generalising" Toshiro muttered "I presume you came straight here?"

"Yes"

"Strip"

"What?" Yoruichi said raising an eyebrow

"You can't be caught in Shinigami robes outside the City" Toshiro said indicating to himself and Hanataro.

"Do you have clothes I can wear?" Yoruichi said

"Some" Toshiro said "we don't keep much women's clothing around we might be off the deep end but we ain't that far"

"What about that time you wanted me to dress u-"

"This way" Toshiro cut in before Hanataro revealed something that'd probably make his almost future wife laugh at him. Sometimes he wondered what it would've been like if he'd just let Hanataro heal him and leave instead of spending a sweaty night on a hospital bed biting down on his knuckles to stop the sounds of his moans getting too loud, would he have been happier than he was now? Unlikely…

"I have to say" Nel said leaning intrusively close to him "you sure are young to have had sex"

"I'm over fifty years old!" Toshiro snapped "what about you, you're a hollow, you could be thousands of years old and you look like a twenty-something"

"Toshiro has really high Spiritual Pressure, in terms of Shinigami the higher the Spiritual Pressure the slower they age"

"I also bombard it into Hanataro, I don't want him growing old whilst I stay young" he said leading them into a bedroom that he kept for any female guests. He often had Momo or Hanataro's mother coming over and they needed a place to sleep so they slept there. Hanataro's mother was a surprisingly nice and lenient woman.

"I got run out of the city by none other than your old man" Yoruichi said

"Oh" Toshiro said his tone now turning icy, despite letting him leave his father…he'd never forget the way his father looked at him, the Toshiro that he knew and loved was dead, he had no son and thus Toshiro had no father. He didn't care, Hanataro was the only man he needed in his life, he'd happily trade the city, the prejudice, the Hitsugaya Noble Family and his arranged marriage with Yoruichi from Hanataro and he did and he regretted nothing!

"Now…" Toshiro stopped and stared as Yoruichi had already whipped her Kimono off and stood, fully naked before them. Admittedly…he sometimes missed women. Nel stared too, except she regarded her with something close to pride or wonderment. What an odd world this had become, a lesbian coupling between an Arrancar and a Shinigami, not just any old Shinigami a Princess and Captain and not just any old Arrancar, he felt that Reiatsu, she was Espada at least!

After convincing Yoruichi to put some clothes on she stood before them wearing some skin tight trousers, a black under shirt and an orange jacket. All very stylish and modern…somewhere. Nel on the other hand was having trouble abandoning her kimono that some Captain gave her. Toshiro admitted defeat and let her keep it as long as she abandoned the Shinigami robes. She now wore a pair of shorts and a white t-shirt that Toshiro was convinced actually belonged to him.

"Now you look relatively human" Toshiro said "despite the mask of course, not much we can do about that I'm afraid"

"I can just put up my hood" Nel said pointing at her Kimono's hood. He shrugged indifferently and sat down beside Hanataro who was staring intently at Hisagomaru "Is Bankai any closer?" Toshiro asked

"A little" Hanataro said "I think I can't get it because I'm slightly apprehensive of what my Bankai is"

"How so?"

"We'll your Zanpakuto controls ice and weather in its Shikai, in Bankai it makes it more powerful as it is with Bankai's like Senbonzaukura, Zabimaru and Zangetsu but mine is a healer type, what'll my Bankai do, heal more people?"  
"Achieve Bankai and find out" Toshiro smirked "you have a good relationship with your Zanpakuto, you trust each other, you'll achieve Bankai soon I just know it"  
"Not all Bankai are like the Shikai" Yoruichi said "Soifon's Bankai is nothing like her Shikai as is a few of the Dead Men's"

"How are the Dead Men these days?" Toshiro said

"Palmolive died" Yoruichi said "got replaced with a massive bitch called Tremor"

"What's her Zanpakuto like?"

"Chigetsu" Yoruichi said. Toshiro narrowed his eyes

"A Shiba?" he said

"Yeah" Yoruichi said "it was only after Kukaku attacked me I realised that Tremor can go into Shikai without saying its name"

"The Dead Men" Toshiro almost shivered "whose bright idea was it to bring them together anyway?"  
"My father" Yoruichi said "I've tried my hardest to keep them contained but now that I'm not here Soifon won't stand a chance at controlling them, they are like rabid dogs"

"Enough of this depressing talk" Toshiro said "time to go, you're darkening my doorstep"  
"Well…thanks for the food and clothes" Yoruichi said

"Take this too" Toshiro said. He handed them two glass bottles with a piece of ice inside"  
"What's this?" Yoruichi said

"The ice melts but never disappears"

"I don't understand" Yoruichi said

"Hmm" Toshiro thought about how to explain it "these blocks of ice will never _melt,_ they'll continue to give off water but they'll never get smaller or _melt._"

"Okay" Yoruichi said "I think I understand, it's a source of water that'll never run out"  
"Yes" Toshiro said "it saves relying on ice generated by Kido to get by on"

"Well" Yoruichi said "we're on our way"

"Yay!" Nel said grabbing Hanataro this time into a crushing hug, she let him go before any real damage was done and he was left panting slightly on the ground.

"She's a monster" Hanataro gasped when they were out of the door "do you think you should have told them…about the Evil Lords?"  
"That they are looking for Shenron too?" Toshiro said "no"

"Why not?"  
"That Arrancar" Toshiro said "She's Neliel Tu Odelswanck, one of the most powerful and ruthless Espada's ever seen, if she falls out of Yoruichi's love she'll remember what she is and her reign of terror will begin again, she'll return to Aizen's side and he'll be one step closer to joining the ranks of the Evil Lords as the King of all Hollows"

[End of Chapter Four]

**In case people don't know Evil Lords were once people or oracles or wizards or warriors or whatever and they gained unimaginable power via another Evil Lord or selling their souls or just gaining power in general. As to why the Evil Lords are looking for a wish grating dragon…well we'll have to wait and see won't we. I was also thinking about Shenron being the friend of 'Orgodemir' King of all Dragons and thus a kind of Monster revolution braking out against the Evil Lords ultimately spearheaded by Yoruichi and Nel, how does that sound?**

** Always remember and Review, it makes me warm at night…**


	5. Chapter 5: Golem

Their journey to find Shenron was harsh and treacherous to say the least, the last place Shenron had ever been seen was far out of the safety of Yoruichi's desert kingdom which was called Rukon. Due to the large volume of Shinigami- Hollows and other monsters rarely found a home on the yellow sands of Rukon rather taking shelter in the Reishi thick atmosphere of the country that resided behind a complete ring of tall mountains called Heuco Mundo.

Nel didn't want to be picky but their direction seemed to be leading them toward the eternally dark country. "Are we heading to Heuco Mundo?" Nel asked

"No" Yoruichi said smiling "there is a path that we can follow, it'll take us to the coast"

"The coast?" Nel said

"Yes" Yoruichi replied "there is a library in the coastal town of…believe it or not 'Shipwreck Cove'." Nel stared at her.

"Really?" She asked

"Oh yeah" Yoruichi said stabbing a stick into the ground as she walked. She'd picked it up when she was at Hitsugaya Jr's tree. "Anyway I wish to access this library to read up on the habitat of the Divinegon to see where they sleep and whatnot"

"I see" Nel said "will there be any Shinigami in this area?"

"Probably" Yoruichi said "they probably won't be referred to as Shinigami though, that's only our country that calls them that. Nevertheless keep your reiatsu low and watch your back, they are known to attack foreign Shinigami if they trespass on their turf. In fact inter-country travel is strictly forbidden for Shinigami in any country associated with the 48 Seal Truce"

"What's that?"

"48 Seals are every country a part of the truce" Yoruichi explained "48 Countries, back when it was a struggle for land and power the wars attracted the Evil Lords and they started wrecking stuff, in fact if it wasn't for the Captain of Squad Five suggesting the truce the wars'd still be going on"

"Who's he?"

"Sosuke Aizen" Yoruichi said "Nice man, a bit creepy"

"Familiar name" Nel said tapping her chin…a really familiar name.

"He is one of our most famous captains" Yoruichi said "he's very powerful"

"Okay then" Nel said.

They now found the path they had been looking for, it lead into the mountains and out of safe territory, the path was steep, and every now and then they were forced to walk with their back to the side of the mountain because the path was too narrow and threatened a fall into the misty canyon below. Eventually it widened out and the grey landscape grew a tad darker and then Heuco Mundo came into sight, the bleached white sand, the dead trees and that creepy moon in the sky.

Nel could feel her homeland calling for her to return, like a whistling in her ears. She ignored it and continued following Yoruichi. She wasn't sure if she really should be, perhaps she should just return to the primal land that was calling for her; she didn't really deserve to be with a woman like Yoruichi anyway. "Oh dear" Yoruichi muttered as, from the mist, a large stone…thing emerged.

"A Golem" Nel said

"You sure know a lot about monsters" Yoruichi said resting her hand on her sword. They approached the Golem which took up the entire path. It regarded them with stony eyes.

"The road is closed" it said with a deep rumbling voice.

"Why?" Yoruichi said with a playful tone in her voice. The Golem raised an arm

"I have decided" The Golem said dismissively

"Too bad" Yoruichi said pulling her sword slowly from its sheath.

"Don't you usually have a puzzle or something to let us get past?"

"No" said the Golem "those are Stonemen!"

"Very well" Nel said "You've left us no choice" she raised a hand and charged a Violet Cero. Releasing its power the violet blast of energy exploded toward the Golem only to be dispersed easily by a raised hand.

"This thing is strong" Yoruichi said. "Smite!" she sheathed her sword "Rakurai!" she pulled the sword out again and raised it to the sky in one fluid motion. A bolt of lightning descended from the sky and struck the tip of her sword enveloping it in buzzing electricity. "I don't like to use this Zanpakuto in stealth missions because the buzzing of my Shikai always gives my position away. Nel stared at the blade. Her sword hadn't actually changed shape; it was still the same black handled katana with a basic hilt.

"Hmm" the Golem grumbled "I've never seen a Shikai before, perhaps you could explain its properties?"

"How about I show you" Yoruichi chuckled. She raised her Zanpakuto and pointed it at the Golem, from the tip a Kido spell erupted and closed the distance between her and the Golem and milliseconds. The pulsing blue beam of energy stuck the Golem sent it flying back.

"Whoa" Nel said

"I can use any lightning based Kido without incantation" Yoruichi said "that was Hado Number 88"

"Are there any ones stronger?" Nel asked as the Golem begun to pick itself off the ground

"One" Yoruichi said

"Are you gonna use it?"

"No" Yoruichi said "It's Hado 98, it's too strong to be used on an enemy of this calibre"

"I see" Nel said. "Let's kill it quickly before it can hit us with an attack"

"Yeah" Yoruichi said "you go left I'll go right"

Nel Sprinted forward going left and leaping over a boulder it threw at her. She ducked under an arm and slashed with her sword. The blade cleanly severed its rocky arm. It landed on the ground with a loud thump. Yoruichi plunged her sword through its chest and then raised an arm. It became shrouded in white Kido, she backhanded the Golem's face and with a massive explosion the entire upper half of the Golem was blown away.

"What was that?" Nel said

"Shunko" Yoruichi said sheathing her sword "I would teach it to you but you can't use Kido advanced enough"

"Oh" Nel said. Yoruichi had taken a lot of time to teach Nel some Kido…but it was hard, despite her massive reiatsu Kido seemed to drain her a lot more than it did with her peers, even though she'd gained Shinigami powers through removing her mask her Hollow side still rejected Kido.

Yoruichi ruffled Nel's hair and grinned "I bet it sucks being the weaker of two travellers"

"I don't remember what dominance feels like" Nel said fixing her with an innocent stare.

"I bet you do" Yoruichi said smiling seductively

"Shall we continue?" Nel said with red cheeks.

"Don't be so uptight" Yoruichi laughed "I would have taken Soifon with us if I wanted a gripe"

They continued to walk through the tall mountains. It was difficult to see any further than a few hundred metres, the fog was so deep. The actual night was descending and a slight smattering of rain marked a stop for the night would be eminent. "We should camp out for the night" Nel said pulling her Kimono's hood up.

"You're right" Yoruichi said. She pointed at an overhang that went a few feet into the side of the mountain. "We spend the night there"

"C'mon" Nel said jogging into the little enclave. Shelter from the rain and not deep enough to have any other monsters in it…excellent.

"Hado Number 84: Eien no Hono" Yoruichi said pointing her finger at her stick that she'd broke up and put into a little pile. The sticks ignited into a little flame

"An eighties Hado that was so…disappointing?" Nel said

"Hmm" Yoruichi said before laughing "the only person who can extinguish that flame is me"

"What happens when the sticks burn away?"

"They won't" Yoruichi said "it's technically a torture Kido, as it ignites the person on fire, their flesh will burn but it won't. It'll feel like its burning. The fire is nice and toasty" she grinned happily warming her hands on the fire.

"Sinister" Nel said under her breath. "So you can do every Hado spell?"

"No" Yoruichi said "I can do up to Hado 97 but with my Zanpakuto I can do 98"

Nel still found herself shivering, this area got really cold during the night! Heuco Mundo always had a constant lukewarm temperature but outside it was so warm or so cold. "Come here" Yoruichi said raising her arms. Nel considered against it but they'd been kicked out of the country, there was no need to keep her feelings to herself. She shuffled over and tucked herself under one of Yoruichi's arms. "That wasn't so hard was it?" Yoruichi said into her ear.

"No" Nel said pulling her arm further over her. For the rest of her life she'd never forget how Yoruichi smelt, if beauty had a smell that'd be it. Nel closed her eyes and buried her face in Yoruichi's shoulder.

"Why don't you rest your head on my breast, it's much comfier"  
"Let's not make this more awkward or sexually tense than it already is?" Nel said smiling

"Hmm" Yoruichi purred beside her "I suppose it wouldn't be much of a court if you just rolled over and let me in at the first attempt"  
"I don't want to play games" Nel said. "I'm just not made for love"  
"Of course you are" Yoruichi said "whatever made your mask fall off transcended you away from a mere beast to a sentient being with thoughts and feelings"

"What about all the thoughts and feelings of the people I killed to become this powerful, all I am is a vat of thousands of tortured souls"

"A vat of tortured souls that merged into one singular soul that has the capacity to be compassionate and happy, would you abandon your chance at redemption due to a weak form of self-loathing?"  
"Of course not" Nel said "but one sweaty night in your arms isn't redemption it's seduction"  
"How do you intend to redeem yourself from these crimes you have no memory of committing?"  
"Vengeance"  
"A cause both noble and stupid"  
"I remember my friends being killed" Nel said shivering again "I've made an oath to find out who did this and with extreme prejudice kill them"

"Now that's a bit more like a hollow" Yoruichi chuckled "why are you following me around then?"

"I…I don't know where to start" Nel said "I thought about going straight to Las Noches but…I'd be killed for sure"

"Wise move" Yoruichi said "so you're only tagging along with me because…?" she used the pause to try to coax an answer out of Nel. Nel thought for a second, the rise and fall of Yoruichi's chest proving both comfortable and annoying.

"I don't know" Nel said "I feel…like a grain of sand in a sandstorm just being blown about by the wind, I have a monumental problem to solve and I don't know what to do but I also got you into this problem and I should be helping you get back out"

"Noble" Yoruichi said playing with a lock of Nel's hair "but if you don't want to help, don't"

"Do you think you can defeat Shenron on your own?"  
"Perhaps" Yoruichi said "I hadn't mastered my Bankai or Shunko by the time I'd fought Shenron the first time"

"Wait…you fought an Evil Lord long enough for your friends to escape without going into Bankai?"  
"Yep" Yoruichi smiled

"You're scary" Nel said

"Let's get some sleep" Yoruichi said

"Let's" Nel confirmed. She nestled back into Yoruichi and fell asleep quickly, quicker than she'd ever done after all she and Yoruichi were out there on their own and completely without trouble- so to speak- it'd really make sense that Nel's Espada Aspect of Death was Kinship.

Morning came like a punch in the face and Nel found herself sitting up and panting as the last remnants of a nightmare were blown away like a sandcastle in a hurricane. Yoruichi was gone. Nel quickly stood up and slammed her head on a rock. "Owie!" She muttered rubbing her head as she walked out of their little cave. Yoruichi appeared beside her with a Shunpo, she held a dead mountain goat in her arms.

"Breakfast!" she grinned

"Where did you get that?" Nel asked

"I caught it" Yoruichi said. With a single tug she ripped its fur and skin off.

"Whoa!" Nel said covering her mouth to stop herself throwing up.

"What!" Yoruichi said raising an eyebrow "haven't you ever had to eat in the wild?"

"Well yeah but you don't have to be so brutal about it" Nel said "poor wittle goat"

"What?" Yoruichi said

"Nothing" Nel replied. She mentally scolded herself; she'd spent a lot of her time watching what she said so as Yoruichi never saw how immature she was.

Yoruichi quickly gutted and dismantled the goat with her sword and using a slate she found she fried up two mutton chops, they were delicious. She wrapped the rest of the meat up in a bag she'd made from the Goat's fur. Yoruichi really was a good survivalist Nel felt slightly inferior, she hoped she'd have at least something to bring to this journey's table because Yoruichi was pretty much carrying them.

Once they were finished with their meal they got on their way. The mist had cleared a little and showed how huge this mountain range was. "I think…" Yoruichi said "we're being hunted"  
"Hunted?" Nel said looking over her shoulder. Who could that be?

***Yoruichi's home city (Seireitei) fifteen hours ago***

In a darkened alleyway a man stood with his hands in his pockets. He was waiting, of course, for his superior; he couldn't be caught in this city by anyone for he was an Arrancar. "Ulquiorra" said someone behind him. He turned and faced the speaker.  
"Aizen-Sama"  
"It's very risky to come to this city now" he said with that trademark smirk on his face.

"Barragan sent me"

"Hmm" Aizen mumbled "I presume it has to do with Neliel killing one of his Fracción like a dog in the street"

"Perhaps" Ulquiorra said, his eyes briefly flickering with something between annoyance and, heaven forbid, happiness.

"How do you feel about hearing your old master's name for the first time in sixty-three years"  
"Indifferent" Ulquiorra lied. He'd briefly served as one of Neliel's Fracción whilst she was an Espada, she'd taught him many things, most prominently Lance techniques with Cero energy. The pervious fourth Espada was killed by Nel herself and Ulquiorra was promoted from her subordination. He'd found her immaturity tiresome but she was faithful and almost sickeningly loyal, she'd taken very great offence to anyone who even said a bad word to him.

"What would you have me do?"

"Nothing" Aizen said "get Tia to kill her, I'm also curious to see if my new third is stronger than my old third"  
"Playing with your subordinates like they were toys" came Gin's devious voice from behind him. They both turned to see the man sitting on a large vase. He toyed with his Lieutenants badge and grinned at them. "Not very nice"

"Gin" Aizen said narrowing his eyes "how did you know I was here?"  
"I followed you" he replied shrugging "I wondered if you were speaking to Halibel, she's so pretty…when she releases"  
"Gin" Aizen said again "…how nice of you to join us, I'd like you to get word to Heuco Mundo and have someone killed"  
"Who might that be?" he said

"Hitsugaya, Toshiro" He said "that kid knows too much"

"Does he know that it was you that gave the fact he was having an unscrupulous relationship with a male nurse to the Gotei?"  
"No" Aizen said "but I know he suspects me of it and knows I'm affiliated with the Arrancars"

"So you'd like Halibel after Nel and who after Toshiro?"  
"Get some Numeros to do it" Aizen said dismissively "but I've changed my mind about Nel…get Nnoitra and Szayel to kill them"

"I see" Ulquiorra said "what about the Apocrypha?"  
"Starrk is still looking for it" Aizen said "it's taking him on quite the epic journey"  
"Alright" Ulquiorra said "will that be all?"  
"Yes" Aizen said smirking again. In a split second they were all gone Sonidoing or Shunpoing away.

Above the alleyway on the roof of the shop they'd stood beside Bones and Hishiro played poker. They'd heard everything and sat staring at their cards saying nothing.

"I fold" Bones said eventually

"I was up anyway" Hishiro said throwing his cards down

"Princess Yoruichi is in danger" Bones said level-headedly

"I heard" he replied "so is Toshiro"

"Coin toss?"  
"Go"

"Call it"

"Tails" Hishiro said as Bones flicked the coin into the air "tails says we help them"

"Yeah" Bones said catching the coin. He looked at it. "Tails"

"Looks like you've got a distance to travel" Hishiro chuckled "Yoruichi would be on the other side of the desert by now"

"No problem" Bones said chuckling. Then he was gone, Hishiro sighed, he often wondered who'd raised Bones, like all Dead Men his old life was erased but he had the looks of a Yamada but not one of his son's lover's immediate family members, maybe cousins or uncle and nephew.

He sighed and crossed his arms. Staring at the sun descending below the mountains he wondered if his son would even need his help, after all Toshiro was probably stronger than he was and Aizen sent out Numeros. He knew that Aizen knew he was there, he'd said he was sending Numeros, this was a fib, he'd probably send an Espada or two.

With a step forward he was gone, toward his son for the first time in three years he'd see him again.

[End of Chapter Five]

**Does anyone find it auspicious that I have a team called the dead men and one of the members is called Bones? ** **Skulduggery-Pleasant-reference-no-jutsu! Also I was gonna make Yoruichi's Zanpakuto a Shirasaya but you know who else uses a Shirasaya that pulsates with electricity don't 'ya…**


	6. Chapter 6: Bones of you

**Hey I was writing this story too, remember?**

Whoever was following them was keeping their distance but at the same time they seemed to be trying to catch up. It was really confusing Yoruichi. "Do you think we should double back?" she asked looking at the path as it forked, left would take one into Heuco Mundo and right would take them to Rukon's other neighbour country 'Bahari' which was where they were headed. There'd be a mountain town somewhere on the road so they'd probably stop there by the night if they could shake their follower.

"I think we should set a trap" Nel said "are there any trapping Bakudo?"  
"I know lots of trapping Bakudo but there is a Kido spell that delays another one…" Yoruichi chuckled and shrugged "it makes a spatial rend that freezes time and…well I can seal the Bakudo within and when the people come by the Kido will be revealed and seal them"  
"Sounds reasonable" Nel said

"Okay" Yoruichi said. She bent down and with her fingers glowing orange she drew a large seven pointed star. "The first point gives me power, the second wisdom, third knowledge, fourth harmony, fifth understanding, sixth honesty and the seventh gives me magic, now combine and form this rend I command you!" Yoruichi slammed her hand on the centre and the star glowed bright. "Now… Bakudo 99 part two: Bankin!" She stuck two fingers into the rock which actually hurt a little. "Song one: Shiryū, Song two: Hyakurensan Song thee: Bankin taiho!" the Kido was quickly sealed in the rend and Yoruichi closed it by slashing the star in half with a glowing purple finger.

"The next captain class Reiatsu that passes this rend will crack it open and release the spell." Yoruichi explained backing away and lowering her reiatsu. "Let's get a move on; I want to reach this mountain town by nightfall"

"Is there an inn we can stay at there?"

"Of course" Yoruichi said "unfortunately I never brought any money with me"

"Neither did I" Nel said pouting. Yoruichi often got the feeling the true Nel was hidden away behind a clinical exterior. She always seemed too polite and too well-mannered for a hollow. It wasn't unusual to find a hollow that was polite but it didn't sit right with her.

They started to jog, since there was a town close they could recover all of their reiatsu wasted on jogging with some good food and a comfy bed and of course they'd get there quicker. Most of the fog had lifted and Yoruichi got a good view of the mountain range, which wasn't very interesting, just grey damp rocks making the bases of tall snow-capped mountains. The path was carved out of the sides of these mountains and rarely strayed any higher than two hundred feet. Though, clouds in the sky did threaten some more rain. She was thankful for her water bottle that Toshiro had given her but now she was sick of water.

By mid-afternoon Yoruichi detected high amounts of Reiatsu as the trap was spring but also…as if there was fighting it peaked and fell. Yoruichi stopped and looked back as a familiar reiatsu overpowered the rest.

"Who's that?" Nel said looking back

"Bones" Yoruichi said "it seems the King didn't want us to leave and has sent Bones after us"

"The I guess we have to hurry" Nel said "hopefully whatever he's fighting stalls him long enough"

"I agree" Yoruichi turning and starting to run "speed is the key for now." They made their way toward the Town of Miamba.

***Change***

Bones drew a smiley face on a rock with the tip of his sword as the two Espada argued amongst themselves on how they should take care of him. Talk about counting their chickens before they hatch. "Are you gonna be long?" Bones said "I've got an appointment with a whore at seven"  
"Shut up you!" the taller of the two yelled swinging that ridiculous weapon toward him. He smacked it away with the back of his hand. This seemed to shock both of the Espada severely. "Take this then!" he stuck out his tongue that had a number five on it. At the tip a yellow Cero charged and fired.

"Bakudo Number 81: Danku" he said, bored. The clear wall of Kido blocked the Cero which crashed against it and exploded. "I am feeling slight commendation on how you managed to break through a 99 Kido"  
"We didn't break it" the other one said "I just sealed it tighter before it could go off"

"He's number five what does that make you, number four or six?"

"Sadly I'm number eight" he said

"That's disappointing" Bones said "I like my enemies strong"  
"I wouldn't be caught dead making underestimations like that"  
"Oh?" Bones smiled slightly "prove me wrong then"

Number five jumped forward again swinging that huge scythe like weapon. Bones blocked it with his scabbard and slashed his sword across his throat. He stood perplexed as the blade didn't even piece his skin. "You fool" he said "no one can cut my Hierro!"

"Okay" Bones said. He plunged his sword through his leg. With a wail of surprise and pain he jumped back with Bones' sword still in his leg.

"What are you gonna do without this?" he said ripping the sword out of his leg and throwing it off the cliff.

"Silly goose" Bones said "you just happened to get the only person in Rukon with a Zanpakuto that wasn't a sword"

"What?"

"Drink the blood of my foes" He tapped the scabbard on the ground "Kyūketsuki!" *means Vampire*

The Scabbard dissolved away to reveal a long needle. Normally there'd be a curved Dao that went with this needle but unfortunately the Espada threw it over the cliff. The Zanpakuto thing was a lie, the sword and scabbard were both his Zanpakuto, he'd be greatly weakened without the blade.

"Vampire, eh?" said the pink haired one

"So if it pierces us it'll suck out our blood?" the other asked

"Pretty much" Bones lied; it could do so much more than that!

"Using a large needle in battle is just silly"  
"Hello pot my name is kettle" Bones said.

"My name is actually Nnoitra" he said "Espada number Five!"  
"Revelation!" Bones said sarcastically. Their weapons collided again and Nnoitra's snake like eyes widened as his Zanpakuto began to crumble. He pulled away and dodged a stab for his gut by Bones.

"I see" said number eight "you lied, your Zanpakuto absorbs Reishi and since an Espada's Zanpakuto is constructed completely of it you dissolve it"

"Yes" Bones said "in fact if I fully absorb an Arrancar's Zanpakuto I can use their Resurrección"  
"That's stupid" Nnoitra said

"Granted I have limits" Bones lied again "I can't absorb an Espada's release"  
"Yes you can" the pink haired one said

"You got me" Bones laughed "I can take a Espada's release…in fact" Bones said "I have the former Espada Seven's release so I don't really need another"  
"So you were the guy who killed Griscola?"

"Oh yeah" Bones said

"Did you know" the pink haired one eventually said "this isn't an attempt on Yoruichi Shihouin's life"  
"Hmm?" Bones said

"There are certain people within the Gotei that Aizen is…not afraid but…wary of" he said "you happen to be one of them"

"So it's a trap?" Bones said looking to the sky just as a large white dragon burst from it. The sky grew dark and menacing as it went. "The Great Dragon" Bones said identifying the species of Dragon. The sky…it must be White Air. The sky suddenly erupted massive chunks of ice that flew toward him with frightening speed. He slashed one piece in half and dodged another. He groaned one struck his arm and other pelt him in the knee shattering it. "Screw you, you stupid dragon!" he shouted "Bankai!"

Whirling dark blue energy enveloped him blowing the ice chunks away. The dragon drifted back with a few flaps of its large wings. "Idaina hokai yari" *something along the lines of great disintegrating spear* Bones said holding out the simple spear. "Now die dragon!"

"You'll much more than a Bankai to harm me, Shinigami!" the dragon said with its deep voice. Bones blocked Nnoitra's large scythe and kicked him, with a groan he was sent flying into a rock. He pointed his spear at the Dragon. The tip released a bright red beam of energy that the Dragon tried to block with a large ice claw attack. Unfortunately the beam dissolved the ice and blew a huge hole right through the dragon.

"Bastard!" the dragon groaned before drifting to the ground. "My final attack! I condense all magical energy!"

"Mega Magic!" the pink one said "Nnoitra, let's go!"

"No!" he said "not until he's dead!"

The Dragon began to glow bright and the pink one disappeared in a Sonido. Bones had never seen this attack but it didn't seem like something he wanted to get caught in. He turned to Shunpo away. Pain seared through his leg as Nnoitra's scythe sliced it off just below the knee. "Shit!" Bones muttered before firing a beam at Nnoitra, he dodged it and disappeared in a Sonido. The dragon now glowed almost incandescent.

"Damn it" Bones groaned trying to pull himself off the ground. It was too late, the Dragon realised all magical energy and then…nothing.

***Change***

"Whoa!" Yoruichi said looking back at the mushroom cloud rising in the distance. An entire mountain was missing from the landscape. Nel wondered what had caused such an attack, the sky had grown dark earlier but it eventually cleared, what was fighting? She was catching Reiatsu that was so familiar it nearly made her throw up. Yoruichi had seemed very worried about that one, the sheer memory of it made her sick, the person it belonged too must be bad.

"We have to keep moving" Yoruichi said turning. Nel complied and followed her trying to ignore Bones' Reiatsu signature disappearing. They were close to the village; Nel had already begun to detect the Reiatsu of stronger villagers. "We're close" Yoruichi said confirming this and pointing at a small plume of smoke. "Is it me or are the people who were following us going in the opposite direction?"  
Nel stopped and closed her eyes, Pesquisa activated and she focused to the two Reiatsu's…they were. "You're right" Nel said

"Let's hurry to the next village" Yoruichi said patting her shoulder and smiling "it won't do to get caught out here by a monster"

"I agree" Nel said following Yoruichi as she ran.

Darkness had already begun to descend and as the village lights appeared in the murky darkness as the sky lit up with thunder. "Let's hurry" Yoruichi said picking up her pace. Nel matched it without a word and they eventually came to the village and stepped into the inn. The innkeeper regarded them wearily. "Don't get many travellers 'round here" she said

"Is that right?" Yoruichi said pulling her hood off.

"Just staying the night?"

"Yes" Yoruichi said  
"Two gold coins…four if you want separate rooms"

"Uh…" Yoruichi said "we don't have any money I was hoping to barter"

"Barter?" she asked raising an eyebrow

"Yes I…err…" Yoruichi fiddled for a few seconds before pulling a gem encrusted necklace out of…somewhere. "This?"

"Let me see" the woman said taking it. She inspected it for a few seconds. Her eyes widened slightly and her hand tightened "you've got a deal"

"Great" Yoruichi smiled "We just need one room"

"Suit yourself" The innkeeper said taking the other key back. Nel followed Yoruichi to the room. It was sparsely decorated but Nel only cared about one thing in the room and that was the comfy looking bed…well it looked more comfortable than the rock from last night at least. Yoruichi quickly removed her top layer of clothes and jumped under the covers.

"Ah comfy" Yoruichi grinned. Nel smiled and removed her kimono. She slid in beside Yoruichi and reclined on the bed as Yoruichi blew out a candle. Her arms snaked around Nel's waist and she nibbled her ear. "Isn't the bed comfy?" Yoruichi purred into her ear

"Um" Nel murmured "I guess."

"So tomorrow we'll be heading further east toward shipwreck cove" Yoruichi said "then we'll read up on the Divinegon Dragon and then track down Shenron, then we wish and job done!"  
"There is no way it'll be that simple" Nel chuckled.

"Probably not" Yoruichi replied, her breath ticked the fine hairs on the back of her neck. "The bigger of the two is supposed to be the spooner and the smaller is supposed to be the spoonee" Yoruichi laughed.

"Would you like to switch positions then?"

"No" Yoruichi said "I like being the dominant one"

"I see" Nel said "goodnight, Yoruichi"

"G'night Nel" Yoruichi yawned.

It took Nel approximately three seconds to fall asleep, through the night she dreamt of happiness and joy, spending time with Yoruichi and in her dreams she's have more friends, lots of friends! She'd never be lonely or upset again. Day came and sucked her dream away with a deathly glare that pierced through her eyelids through a kink in the curtains which covered the window.

She looked at Yoruichi; she slept peacefully her mouth slightly open with a light snore coming from it. Nel smiled and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. She was so pretty, the face of the optimistic princess of a wealthy desert kingdom…Nel knew she was out of her league but she didn't want to let go; she knew she was holding Yoruichi back but her own selfishness made her cling on.

She sighed and placed a light kiss on Yoruichi's forehead. Getting out of the bed Nel walked over to a basket of fruit and plucked an apple out. With a tasty crunch she bit into it. There was a light knock at the door. Yoruichi's eyes opened and her golden gaze went to the door. Nel glanced at her and walked toward the door. "Answer it?" Nel said

"Go ahead" Yoruichi said. Nel turned the handle and opened it. A man stood, clad in expensive clothes and with a rather low reiatsu level.

"Good morning" he said pushing past Nel without a hint of apprehension despite how strong she and Yoruichi were. This guy was obviously used to being the boss.

"Who are you?" Yoruichi said sitting up.

"My name is Mayor Kell" he said "I heard you two travellers came in the night and your Magic power dwarfs any that have come through so I was wondering if you'd accept a proposition"  
"Propose away" Yoruichi said

"There is a…cave, a sort of dungeon" he said "it's about half a mile west of this village"  
"That's nice"

"Quite" he said "though…the bandits hiding inside are not"

"You want us to get rid of them?"

"If you'd be so kind"  
"What's in it for us?"  
"Fifty gold coins…each"

"Boom" Yoruichi said rubbing her hands together "we'll be back before lunch"

"Yes" he chuckled "it will not take long…it won't take long at all"

He walked back out the room and Yoruichi sighed and scratched her forehead. "Trap?"  
"Yeah trap" Nel confirmed nodding. "What'll we do?"  
"Let's go to this dungeon and see what is there and then kill it come back and ask for our fifty coins"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah…what's the worst that could happen?"

***Change***

"Damn it Bones" Kukaku said picking up his broken body, there was no coming back from these wounds, one of the Dead Men had been assassinated and who knows who was next. Absinthe appeared next to her.

"So…" he said looking at Bones "poor bastard, he was the youngest"

"I liked him a lot, he knew how to make me scre…laugh"

"We all know about your affair" Absinthe said

"I can't hide anything from you bastards" Kukaku muttered. "Rest in peace you magnificent son of a bitch" she plunged her Zanpakuto into the ground and with its terrakinetic power- *Chigetsu is a pun as Chi means both blood and earth in Japanese and Chigetsu is an earth manipulating Zanpakuto*-a void opened up in the ground. She dropped Bones' body in and then closed it over.

"I can't help but feel the need to raise a sticky question"

"What'd that be?" Kukaku said

"Who killed Bones?"

"Dunno" Kukaku said "Yoruichi maybe but that isn't her style plus her Zanpakuto is lightning type it'd leave him with burns, it looked like he was slashed by some kind of Magic energy.

"Maybe Nel killed him?"

"You think Nel could kill Bones?"  
"I suppose"

"Whoever killed the kid will burn I can assure you" Kukaku said "now let's go and consult Toshiro Hitsugaya, he lives not too far perhaps he knows A from B"

"Right behind you" Absinthe said following Kukaku as she Shunpoed away. When they were gone the dust settled from their jumps. Leaving only the memory of the proud a noble young warrior Akihiko Yamada also known as Bones far behind and his mortal vessel to slumber in peace for the rest of eternity.

[End of Chapter six]


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